“Disappointing and frustrating day” Toto Wolff open up as Hamilton and Russell SUMMONED by FIA making Verstappen Teases….read more
Mercedes endured a difficult day in Austin during the United States Grand Prix weekend, with team principal Toto Wolff describing it as “disappointing and frustrating.” Both drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, struggled with tyre overheating, which hindered their ability to compete with the top four drivers.
Following a promising showing in sprint qualifying, Mercedes’ form dipped during the main qualifying and sprint race. Hamilton, who had earlier complained of strange sensations with the car, suffered an unexpected elimination in Q1. He mentioned the car felt odd, and his only flying lap on fresh soft tyres was hampered by a poor middle sector, leading to a P19 starting position for the race. Describing the day as “tough,” Hamilton remained determined to climb up the grid during the main race.
George Russell had a more eventful qualifying session, pushing hard in Q3 before losing control of his W15 at Turn 19 and crashing into the barriers. Although the driver was unharmed, the crash caused yellow flags, preventing others from completing their flying laps. Russell ended the session in P6 but faces a major repair job on his car before Sunday’s race.
Wolff pointed to tyre management issues as the root of Mercedes’ struggles, noting that the team had made setup adjustments following the sprint race, but they could not recapture the pace they had shown earlier in the weekend. He highlighted that both drivers experienced tyre overheating: Hamilton on the rear axle and Russell on the front. Wolff acknowledged that the upcoming race would be challenging, with Hamilton starting P19 and Russell dealing with the aftermath of his crash. He emphasized that the team would be in damage limitation mode, fighting for points with the hope that circumstances might work in their favor.
Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, echoed these concerns, adding that despite a promising start on Friday, the team struggled with speed on Saturday. He explained that tyre overheating significantly impacted their performance, with Hamilton’s car also suffering from a broken front suspension component discovered after the sprint race. Shovlin admitted that the setup changes made before qualifying did not improve the car’s balance and stated that the team would work tirelessly overnight to repair Russell’s car and prepare for a challenging race.
